Norman Regional Health System

What is an Intensivist?

An Intensivist is a specialized physician that cares for the sickest of patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These physicians are board-certified pulmonologists who provide critical care and pulmonary consultations in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Progressive Care Unit (PCU), Telemetry, Palliative Care, Oncology, Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU), Cardiac PCU, and Medical/Surgical Units.

Norman Regional’s Intensivists are also board-certified in critical care medicine. There is at least one Intensivist covering the health system’s three hospitals at all times. Why have Intensivists? Intensivists treat patients that need critical care for stroke, heart attacks, post-surgical care and more. The national trend to have specialized physicians within a hospital setting began about ten years ago. The benefits of this program are:

  • Better coordination of patient care
  • Better patient health outcomes
  • 24/7 availability in the hospital setting that facilitates timely care of the patients in the hospital and those being admitted through the emergency department

How are Intensivists different than Hospitalists? 

Hospitalists are often internists and trained in areas such as internal medicine or family medicine. Intensivists are trained in critical care medicine and Norman Regional’s Intensivists are also board-certified pulmonologists.

Our Intensivists